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Posts for tag: Porcelain Veneers

Want to know the exact wrong way to pry open a stubborn lid? Just ask Jimmy Fallon, host of NBC-TV’s popular “Tonight Show.” When the 40-year-old funnyman had trouble opening a tube of scar tissue repair gel with his hands, he decided to try using his teeth.

What happened next wasn’t funny: Attempting to remove the cap, Fallon chipped his front tooth, adding another medical problem to the serious finger injury he suffered a few weeks before (the same wound he was trying to take care of with the gel). If there’s a moral to this story, it might be this: Use the right tool for the job… and that tool isn’t your teeth!

Yet Fallon is hardly alone in his dilemma. According to the American Association of Endodontists, chipped teeth account for the majority of dental injuries. Fortunately, modern dentistry offers a number of great ways to restore damaged teeth.

If the chip is relatively small, it’s often possible to fix it with cosmetic bonding. In this procedure, tough, natural-looking resin is used to fill in the part of the tooth that has been lost. Built up layer by layer, the composite resin is cured with a special light until it’s hard, shiny… and difficult to tell from your natural teeth. Best of all, cosmetic bonding can often be done in one office visit, with little or no discomfort. It can last for up to ten years, so it’s great for kids who may be getting more permanent repairs later.

For larger chips or cracks, veneers or crowns may be suggested. Veneers are wafer-thin porcelain coverings that go over the entire front surface of one or more teeth. They can be used to repair minor to moderate defects, such as chips, discolorations, or spacing irregularities. They can also give you the “Hollywood white” smile you’ve seen on many celebrities.

Veneers are generally custom-made in a lab, and require more than one office visit. Because a small amount of tooth structure must be removed in order to put them in place, veneers are considered an irreversible treatment. But durable and long-lasting veneers are the restorations of choice for many people.

Crowns (also called caps) are used when even more of the tooth structure is missing. They can replace the entire visible part of the tooth, as long as the tooth’s roots remain viable. Crowns, like veneers, are custom-fabricated to match your teeth in size, shape and color; they are generally made in a dental lab and require more than one office visit. However, teeth restored with crowns function well, look natural, and can last for many years.

So what happened to Jimmy Fallon? We aren’t sure which restoration he received… but we do know that he was back on TV the same night, flashing a big smile.

Is there anything that radio and TV personality (and self-proclaimed “King of All Media”) Howard Stern doesn’t want to talk about in public? Maybe not — but it took a caller’s on-air question to get the infamous shock jock to open up about his own dental work.

When he was directly asked if his teeth were capped, Stern said no. “I redid ‘em [some time] ago… I had bonding and um… veneers… over my real teeth. But I don’t get that ‘Hollywood white’ though,” he said, before adding his uncensored opinion on the subject of proper tooth shades.

As we’re sure Stern would be the first to point out, everyone has a right to their own opinion. But we’re pleased that Howard brought up an important point about veneers: They are custom-made in a whole range of different shades, from a more ‘natural’ tooth color to a brilliant white shine. Which one you select depends on what look is right for you — and that’s your choice.

In case you aren’t familiar with veneers, they are fingernail-thin coverings made of porcelain, which are bonded onto the surfaces of the teeth. This enables them to hide a number of defects — like chips, discoloration, and even small irregularities in spacing. They can also be used to lengthen teeth that seem out of proportion to the gums, lips or other facial features.

Veneers are among the cosmetic dental treatments most favored by Hollywood stars… as well as regular folks who want a dramatic improvement in their smile. Unlike crowns (caps), which generally require extensive reshaping of the tooth, standard veneers require the removal of just fractions of a millimeter of tooth surface. That makes them a minimally invasive method of smile enhancement that can make a big difference in your appearance. In fact, veneers are often a major part of a complete “smile makeover.”

Dental veneers are custom made in a laboratory from a mold of your teeth. They are designed to fit your teeth perfectly — and to be just the shade you want. When you come in for a consultation, we will discuss what you like and don’t like about your smile, and how we might improve it. Will you opt to get the brilliant “red-carpet” smile you always wished for… or go for a subtle, more natural tooth color? Only you can decide.

Howard Stern’s veneers may be the most restrained thing about him… but we’re just glad that veneers helped him get the kind of smile he wanted. You can, too. If you would like more information on dental veneers, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more about this topic in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Porcelain Veneers” and “Porcelain Crowns & Veneers.”

When you smile, are your teeth as attractive as you have wanted them to be? If not, there is no reason to “put up” with a smile that is less than you hoped for. Advancements in cosmetic dentistry allow dentists all over the world to improve the appearance of smiles for many reasons—from crooked teeth to discolored teeth. Through these advancements, we are pleased to offer our patients in White Lake, veneers for an impressive smile! However, while veneers are available in White Lake, that does not mean they are right for everyone. Let’s look at who is a good candidate and who is no.

Good Candidates

Dental veneers are a permanent solution to discolored, chipped and crooked teeth. Anyone who is in good dental health can potentially be a good candidate for veneers at our White Like dental office. Veneers are also a great way to address the following cosmetic issues:

Gaps between teeth

Crooked teeth

Misshapen teeth

An uneven smile line

If you are in search of a brighter, straighter and more proportionate smile without a long wait, then veneers might be an optimal choice for your smile improvement. You can contact our White Lake family dental office for further consultation and to schedule your appointment.

Who is Not a Candidate?

As with many procedures, there are instances where some patients are not good candidates for veneers. You might not be a candidate if you have the following dental conditions:

Severe misalignment – while veneers are used for misaligned teeth, they are not a good choice for severely misaligned teeth. If your teeth are severely misaligned, you may need orthodontic treatment first.

Bruxism – if you grind or clench your teeth in your sleep, this can damage not only your natural teeth, but veneers, as well. It is also important to seek treatment for bruxism before it worsens.

Lack of tooth enamel – it is important to have adequate tooth enamel because veneers are bonded to your enamel. If you do not have an appropriate amount of enamel, there may be an alternative treatment available.